


Inertia

by Viridian5



Category: Once a Thief (TV)
Genre: Crack Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 1999-02-19
Updated: 1999-02-19
Packaged: 2017-10-02 07:26:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4000
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Viridian5/pseuds/Viridian5
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nathan ponders a few things.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Inertia

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers for "Mama's Boys" and "The Director Files." Beta by Orithain.

Nathan covertly watched Victor Mansfield from under his lashes as he pretended to look through more paperwork. Vic sighed and chewed at the end of a pencil as he sorted through the records he'd asked for. Long legs folded, unfolded, and refolded, and he occasionally twisted the chair around a bit as if impatient with the sedentary nature of his study.

All that fidgeting made Nathan want to touch him again. Last time, Nathan had felt the energy running through Vic's arm, the twitch of barely suppressed movement in the muscles, even through the sweater. Irresistible. Maybe it was some kind of mind ray at work.

But Vic's reaction to being touched ranged from tolerating it to glaring in a way that said get-your-hand-off-_now_. So maybe it was a prototype the other man tested out, probably unwillingly.

Nathan wrenched his mind away and scrambled back to safer topics. He was a nobody; it didn't even pay to think about--

Once upon a time it had surprised Nathan to see a secret shadow ruler doing his own research instead of having pawns do it for him, but Vic seemed to be beholden to the Alien Queen in some way, under her command. What that said about the future of the human race was rather depressing, especially if all the aliens turned out to be like the Director.

But it cheered Nathan a bit to think that at least one member of the shadow government was benevolent and kind. No matter what the Queen might command, he couldn't see Vic doing anything truly terrible. Vic was also one of the few people willing to listen, although he pretended he didn't know what was going on and constantly tried to draw Nathan out on it. //Trying to find out what I know, no doubt. It's not like he needs _me_ to tell him about the Queen Mother's stranglehold on the world or the bug creatures or...// But it made Nathan feel warm and important somehow.

"I think I should look at the records for the year before, too," Victor said. His voice, soft and husky, was a perfect instrument for the whispered secrets and dark, smoky rooms of a conspiracy. It felt like a light breeze in a stale, dusty warehouse...

Sweating under that long-lashed, expectant gaze, Nathan took a panicked hit off his inhaler, snapped himself back to attention, and handed over some papers from his pile. Vic looked at him oddly. "You had these ready?"

Oh, no. //I let myself get too distracted, forgot--// "They were right with the others," Nathan said and hoped Vic wouldn't see the lie. He couldn't let the truth get out.

This warehouse of dusty information was Nathan's sanctum sanctorum--far more than his house, with Mother, would ever be--and he knew it from top to bottom. It never took him much time to anticipate and find anything any of the agents might need. He just delayed, made it look more laborious and difficult, to keep his job safe and have some company for a while. While Vic was his favorite person, even some time with Ramsey and Janczyk and the Alien Queen and the bug creature that called itself Li Ann broke the routine, even if some of them did scare him more than a little. Mostly the women, or the creatures who'd made themselves look like women.

He'd never been in one job for so long before, and he liked it. To his surprise, he'd found comfort in going to the same place every day and seeing some of the same people. He felt... almost secure, here in the bowels of the heart //oh, that was a horrible combination of metaphors// of a shadowy government agency //they do exist! Here's proof!//, which was stupid when you considered all the conspiracies and plots going on.

Vic had quirked an eyebrow. "Nathan. Nathan..." It sounded like he'd been repeating the name for a while, but he sounded more amused than angry.

At least Nathan hoped so. //I've just been rude to him. I don't _think_ he's the type to send a black ops team later to discipline me for it...// "I'm sorry?"

"I wanted to thank you for helping us find the Director. It was good work."

The suspicious, pleasant warmth showed up again. //Maybe some kind of conditioning system used by the shadow government to make us work for them?// "Thanks. I was just doing my job." It was just the sort of response Vic would like.

Mac Ramsey flew in. "Vic, we got a location on the balloon salesman. We have to motor."

Nathan often wondered how a consummate professional like Victor could stand to work with a reckless maverick like Ramsey. He still didn't know.

"I found what we needed." Vic picked up a sheaf of papers and followed his partner out at a run. "Thanks again, Nathan."

In a few minutes the dust had settled again, although into slightly different patterns. Nathan picked up the records Vic hadn't taken with him and started to put them away.

 

### End


End file.
